This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. No work has been published on the time course of plasma Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) changes following human consumption of highly antioxidant spices, and it is not known whether changes in plasma ORAC also signal changes in plasma concentrations of anti-inflammatory bioactives. This pilot study will characterize the postprandial changes in plasma and serum properties in five healthy, middle-aged (30-65 years old) men following consumption of a meal containing high ORAC spices and a control meal containing the same ingredients but no spices in a crossover design separated by at least 3 days. Plasma ORAC will be assessed before the meals, immediately after, and every 30 minutes after for three hours (for a total of 8 measurements at each visit). Serum will be isolated at each time point and subsequently added to a cultured macrophage cell line stimulated with LPS. The macrophages will be assessed for changes in inflammatory gene expression (e.g. expression of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-). Serum and plasma will be saved for analysis of glucose, lipids, and spice constituents/metabolites. The results of this preliminary study will inform future nutrition research on the potential anti-inflammatory activity of high antioxidant culinary spices by providing important information about effect time course and meal tolerability/palatability.